What organization covers the security of patient information for online pharmacies?
Security, confidentiality, and privacy are among the chief concerns of patients and health care professionals regarding online pharmacy services. State and federal laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protect patient identifiable information. VIPPS and other voluntary certification programs require participating organizations to adhere to and post their privacy policies. In addition, NABP has published guidelines regarding the confidentiality of patient health care information, which can be found in Appendix E of the Model State Pharmacy Act and Model Rules of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. The Model Act is available as free download on the NABP Web site.